1. Technical Field. This invention generally relates to an apparatus for holding ski equipment together and locking it to a stationary object. In particular, this invention relates to a portable light weight apparatus for locking a pair of skis and a pair of ski poles to a stationary object, such as a ski rack.
2. Background Art. Snow skis and ski poles are favorite targets of thieves. Generally, ski thefts occur in the immediate vicinity surrounding a ski lodge. From time to time during the course of a day of skiing, skiers stop in the ski lodge to eat, rest, and get warm. During the time in the lodge, the skier must leave his equipment unattended, outside the ski lodge. At any given time, outside of a typical ski lodge, there might be several hundred pairs of skis and ski poles. Consequently, it is very easy for a thief to walk away with a pair of skis and ski poles without arousing suspicion.
Several devices have been provided for securing skis and poles outside of the ski lodge which include coin operated stationary lockable racks. Unfortunately the coin and locking mechanisms are unreliable at low temperatures and very frequently are inoperable. Additionally, the availability of locking ski racks is very limited as the racks are expensive to purchase and maintain.
One solution to the shortcomings of the stationary rack is offered by the apparatus taught by BONNETT, U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,977, which teaches a ski equipment securing and carrying device generally formed of a one piece molded polypropylene. The device of Bonnett may be locked to a stationary object by looping a chain or bicycle type lock through the handle and around a stationary object. The problem with the device of Bonnett is that it is too bulky to be carried by a skier while skiing and therefore must be stored either in the lodge or in a vehicle. This creates a great inconvenience and in fact even defeats the purpose of having a locking device, as the skier must leave the skis unattended while retrieving the device from inside of the lodge or vehicle.
Of particular interest to the present problem is a carrying and locking strap taught by NEWMAN, U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,493, which teaches an elongated strap having a nonremovable ring at one end and a combination lock secured to the other which may be wrapped around a pair of skis and ski poles and further around a stationary object and locked in place. The device, as taught by Newman, would seem to be a perfectly acceptable solution, however, because of the predetermined length of the elongated strap and the fact that it is nonadjustable in length, the locking feature of the device is easily circumvented. In practice, any two stationary fixtures to which the skis could be locked are of different circumferential size. Consequently, the strap cannot usually be wrapped tightly enough around the skis, poles, and stationary fixture to prevent the skis or poles from easily being slipped out from the confines of the elongated strap.
What is needed is a device which is flexible and compact, and which securely encloses a pair of skis and ski poles separate from the stationary fixture and can still be lockably attached to a stationary fixture.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a lightweight, compact, and portable locking apparatus for skis and ski poles which is not easily circumvented by a would be thief.